Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Recently I was lucky enough to attend not one but two tapings of Austin City Limits in KLRU’s famed Studio 6A. Last year the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame designated the studio a landmark. Considering the history of the space and the truly astounding list of performers they’ve hosted, it’s a well deserved honor for KLRU and the good people behind the show. I’ve been very fortunate to attend six tapings over the past few years. The two most recent being Monsters of Folk and The National. I’m not a super fan of each group but seeing them perform in the ACL studio was an amazing experience. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - there’s no better place to see a show in Austin than Studio 6A.

As many of you know a new Austin City Limits studio is set to open early next year. I think it’s a good move, despite my clear adoration for the old studio. They took special care to mirror the old space when building the new one. The advantages are more people can go to the shows, it’s a state of the art facility, and it’ll probably raise some much needed money for PBS (they need all the help they can get).

So what will happen to the old studio? It’s already being used for web based music series called Satellite Sets. Just like ACL, Satellite Sets features "intimate performances by bands from all genres." The series also contains interviews with the artists about their music and inspirations. I saw Brazos record their Satellite Sets episode and it was just as excellent as any ACL taping. One of the best things about the new series is that the tickets are free and actually easy to get! You just need to RSVP on the web site when a new show is announced.

So what are you waiting for?! The next Satellite Sets show is on Sunday, Oct. 24th with Monahans, a phenomenal band I’ve mentioned here numerous times. I’m giving an official SOTO promise it will be a immensely entertaining show and one you won’t want to miss.

To get you ready for Sunday’s show, enjoy a few videos from past Satellite Sets episodes:

Sarah Jaffe - Clementine


Leatherbag - On Down The Line


Brazos - Gadesco

- Dan Corbin -



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